Cesc Fabregas has been named Serie A Coach of the Year after leading Como to an extraordinary fourth-place finish and historic Champions League qualification.
Cesc Fabregas has completed another remarkable chapter in his transformation from midfield maestro to elite young manager after being officially named the Serie A Coach of the Year for the 2025/26 season, an award that recognizes the extraordinary work he has done in turning Como from an ambitious promoted club into one of the most exciting teams in Italian football.
The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder received the prestigious honor at the Gran Gala del Calcio AIC after a campaign in which Como defied expectations, challenged established Serie A powers and ultimately secured a historic place in the Champions League. For Cesc Fabregas, the recognition represents far more than an individual coaching award because it is a reflection of how dramatically Como have changed since he took charge.
Serie A Coach of the Year recognizes Fabregas’ remarkable transformation
The Serie A Coach of the Year award arrives after a season in which Fabregas demonstrated that his tactical ideas could succeed against some of the biggest clubs in Italy. Como finished fourth in Serie A, securing their first-ever qualification for the Champions League, while simultaneously establishing themselves as one of the league’s most progressive sides.
The achievement was particularly remarkable given Como’s recent history. The club had only returned to the Italian top flight in 2024, meaning their journey from Serie B to European football’s biggest stage was completed in remarkably little time. Under Fabregas, Como have developed a clear identity based on possession, pressing, movement and attacking ambition, allowing them to compete with clubs possessing considerably greater historical pedigree.
Fabregas had already begun laying the foundations during his first full season, guiding Como to 10th place in the 2024/25 Serie A campaign. The following season, however, represented a dramatic leap forward, as the team consistently challenged for a Champions League position before finally securing fourth place on the final day.
The Serie A Coach of the Year award therefore feels like a natural recognition of a project that has progressed at extraordinary speed.
How Cesc Fabregas turned Como into a Champions League club
Como’s historic qualification was confirmed on the final day of the 2025/26 season after a commanding 4-1 victory away to Cremonese, combined with AC Milan’s defeat by Cagliari. The result allowed Fabregas’ side to finish fourth with 71 points and claim the final Champions League qualification place.
The achievement was historic not only because of the destination but also because of the speed of Como’s rise. The club had spent time in the lower divisions in recent years, yet Fabregas helped establish a footballing culture capable of competing at the highest level of the Italian game.
His tactical approach has been central to that transformation. Como have shown a willingness to dominate possession while pressing aggressively without the ball, and their attacking structure has allowed creative players to operate with considerable freedom.
That philosophy was also recognised earlier in the season when Fabregas received the Serie A Coach of the Month award for March after Como produced four consecutive victories.
Youth development has become central to Fabregas’ project
Another major reason behind the Serie A Coach of the Year recognition has been Fabregas’ ability to develop young players while maintaining competitive results.
Nico Paz has been one of the clearest examples. The young Argentine playmaker enjoyed an outstanding campaign under Fabregas, making 40 appearances across all competitions while contributing 13 goals and eight assists. His development demonstrated the manager’s willingness to place responsibility on technically gifted young footballers rather than relying exclusively on established stars.
That philosophy has given Como an identity that extends beyond their results, with the club increasingly viewed as a project capable of developing players while playing attractive, modern football.
Fabregas’ own playing career has also clearly influenced his managerial philosophy. Having played under some of the greatest coaches in modern football, including Arsene Wenger, Pep Guardiola and other elite managers, he has combined elements from different tactical schools while developing ideas of his own.
Champions League football offers Fabregas his biggest test yet
Winning the Serie A Coach of the Year award is significant, but Fabregas now faces an even greater challenge as Como prepare for their first Champions League campaign.
The Italian side’s league-phase schedule includes home meetings with Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, RB Leipzig and AEK Athens, alongside difficult away trips to Barcelona, Real Betis, Feyenoord and Lens.
Those matches will place Fabregas and his players on an entirely different stage, but they also provide an opportunity to demonstrate that Como’s domestic success was not a temporary surprise.
The club have already strengthened their squad, with Fabregas playing an important role in attracting experienced players and familiar faces to the project. The arrival of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and defender Trevoh Chalobah has added Premier League experience to a squad that already possesses considerable youthful quality.
Como have also started the new Serie A campaign strongly, drawing 1-1 away to Udinese before producing a statement 2-1 victory over Napoli. Those results suggest that the momentum created under Fabregas has survived the summer.
A new chapter begins for Cesc Fabregas
For Cesc Fabregas, being named Serie A Coach of the Year represents the latest milestone in a managerial career that is developing much faster than many expected.
His playing career was decorated with major honors, but his achievements from the touchline are beginning to create a legacy of their own. Taking Como from Serie B to the Champions League in just two seasons of top-flight football is already extraordinary, and the award provides formal recognition of the tactical intelligence and leadership behind that rise.
The Serie A Coach of the Year honor may ultimately prove to be only the beginning for Fabregas. With Como now preparing to face Europe’s biggest clubs, the former midfield maestro has the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that his remarkable journey from player to coach is no longer simply an intriguing story, but the emergence of a genuinely elite manager.
